(Yicai Global) May 10 -- The under-construction Line 12 of the Beijing Subway, which will connect the west of the city to the east, is set to be one of the country's few driverless metro routes.

China Railway Signal and Communication Corp. won the bid to build the signaling system for the line, which will span 29.4 kilometers and 21 stations, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which is run by the cabinet and oversees the nation's centrally-owned enterprises, said online.

Shanghai's metro operator, Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, began running passenger trial operations for an automated people mover at the end of last month, extending Line 8 of the subway network deeper into Pujiang town in Minhang district. The city's Line 10 also uses self-driving metro trolleys, though a driver rides in the cab to monitor each journey. Beijing's first subway route capable of unmanned operations was the Yanfang Line, opened in December.

CSRC is the biggest rail traffic control system supplier in China and has exported products across Asia, Africa and Latin America. It began building Beijing's Line 12 in 2016 and hopes to begin pilot operations in 2021.

Editor: James Boynton